While Ryan Adams newest album, released October 28th, seems to be getting great reviews from critics who dub it his best work yet, I think the majority of his true fans can safely say that something is missing (like much of his work post Jacksonville City Nights and 29). It isn’t that I would call this a disappointing album, it just isn’t up to par with what we all known Ryan can create. While it does have its high points, the majority of it lacks what makes Adams’ music so great; a true expression of emotion. The only real exception to this is the song, “Crossed Out Name,” which makes us remember how great of a songwriter Ryan really is, and gives us a glimpse of what we’re missing out on. I will admit that “Fix It” and “Natural Ghost” are starting to grow on me, but they are far from Ryan’s best. All in all this album just seems empty, and I think we all know what’s to blame: Adams’ sobriety. So please Ryan please, go back to doing drugs. For the record, I am totally kidding; no one wants Ryan to be unhealthy and unhappy, but in all fairness, Ryan was a fucking amazing writer when he was doing speedballs on the daily in the Chelsea Hotel. Concerning this topic I decided that I would definitely be a terrible friend to Ryan: “Yea… Ry… this whole sober thing really isn’t working out for you. You just got to do heroine. Every one’s doing it.” Once again, because I’m sure some idiot will want to interpret this as if I truly mean it, these statements are dripping with sarcasm.

In order to spare young artists the dilemma of having to rent extremely expensive studio space, furniture designer, Auro Foxcroft, came up with quite an ingenious and environmentally conscious idea: take old subway cars, mount them to a rooftop, and rent them out as office space. These rule.

The Trinity College Library, in Dublin, is beyond gorgeous. As is the installation of artwork, titled “See It Split, See It Change” in the new South Ferry subway terminal (which is set to open this coming January). It took the artists, Brooklyn-based Doug and Mike Starn (identical twins), three years to attain the finished product which features curved glass walls laced with silhouettes of trees, a marble mosaic topographic map of Manhattan (a 20 feet wide map based on a 1640 map overlaid with the contemporary street grid), and imagery from nearby Battery Park (according to the New York Times).

By Australian artist, Emma Hack.

If you didn’t know, 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy. I only know because ever since Professor Blackwell’s Astronomy course, I’ve had a slight addiction to NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day.

I can’t sleep and got really bored so I painted Pandy (tarepanda). I’m a really shitty painter, I know this, but it kept me entertained. Somehow all my acrylic paints and over $100 worth of brushes disappeared from my room (hmmm… Summer). So I had to paint this using little kid paints and sponge brushes.

So I’ve been drinking at least four cups of tea a day. It’s safe to say I have a slight addiction. Yogi Tea is so bomb (berry detox is my favorite). Mmmm! Also, can we talk about how I’d never eat if it weren’t for Grins?